


Enchant

by INMH



Series: The Fruits of Mercy [9]
Category: The Order: 1886
Genre: Drama, F/M, Flirting, Humor, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Strong Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-21 09:52:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13738347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/INMH/pseuds/INMH
Summary: Fruits of Mercy series. Lafayette runs into Lakshmi in the market.





	Enchant

**[-The 1 st of September, 1887-]**  
  
If there was one thing that Lafayette did not like, it was inaction.  
  
And it seemed that too much of his time nowadays was spent doing more or less _nothing._  
  
He was in Lambeth today, near the markets, doing nothing but lingering off to the side and idly patrolling the area. The city was no longer under martial law, but the Order, the military, and the police were on high-alert for Rebel and Half-breed activity.  
  
Once, the prospect of a fight might have held at least the _chance_ of excitement for him, but not anymore; the idea that he could run into Grayson, or perhaps Alastair, in the course of such a fight now and be forced to convincingly fight them and their allies was not something the Marquis looked forward to with anything but dread. How had their lives become so complicated in such a short amount of time?  
  
Lafayette leaned against the edge of a stall, arms crossed, and looked around at the market with boredom. Perceval was dead, Grayson defected, and now Isabeau… Well, she’d lost any trace of anything that had ever made her fun to work with. Her humor had evaporated, and in its place had risen a woman cold and single-minded in her desires. She had always been a dedicated member of the Order, but now her every waking moment was dedicated to the pursuit of the Rebels- and Grayson. It was a miracle that she hadn’t killed him in Mayfair with that Thermite. Where he had once been surrounded by friends, the atmosphere in the Order was now tense and dark, and had been since Grayson’s defection and Alastair’s ‘death’.  
  
The Marquis sighed, idly scanning the crowd, over women and men perusing the market and strolling about without a care in the world, wondering when he would be able to call an end to this and-  
  
Who was _that?_  
  
Lafayette’s gaze came to rest on the only person in the market who seemed to be wearing any color: An Indian woman in a sari- a bright red and gold sari, which stood out considerably amongst the darker clothing of the other patrons of the market. He found himself wandering over, thinking of a particular Indian Queen he’d been fortunate enough to meet a few months ago; but the odds of this woman being Rani Lakshmi, Queen of Jhansi, were less than-  
  
Less than-  
  
_Sainte merde, you can’t be serious._  
  
Lafayette looked around innocently, stepping carefully into place next to the woman, and then said to no one in particular, “How fortunate that I should run into the one interesting person in this place today.”  
  
“Are you talking to me, sir?” The woman asked with equal innocence, accent noticeably thicker than when he’d last heard it.  
  
“Goodness, forgive me,” Lafayette drawled, now meeting her eyes and confirming that yes, he was correct, this was exactly who he thought it was. “I mistook you for the Queen of Jhansi.”  
  
Lakshmi smiled at him, and he appreciated the wicked hint in it. “I am completely flattered, Marquis.”  
  
“You should be. She’s beautiful.” His eyes flicked up and down over her sari appreciatively. “And bold to be wearing such a bright color in the middle of London on a rainy day when darker clothing is the fashion.”  
  
“I find that sometimes standing out is the best way to avoid detection,” Lakshmi responded primly. “And nothing stands out more in London than an Indian woman wearing a red sari on a rainy day.”  
  
“You look absolutely stunning,” Lafayette observed, amazed at the intricate detail of the outfit.  
  
“Thank you.” Lakshmi benignly examined an apple as though they weren’t speaking at all. “And what brings you to Lambeth today?”  
  
“I’ve been sent to watch the people and see if I can’t pluck any Rebels from their midst,” Lafayette responded quietly, eyes always on the vendor, who was busy haggling with another customer. “In all seriousness, you should be careful: I think Is- I think Lady Igraine knows enough of your face to recognize you if she gets close enough. She has told our Order that the leader of the Rebels is an Indian woman roughly your age.”  
  
Lakshmi hummed at that. “Grayson did mention that a Knight got a look at me the night I took him to Blackwall,” She conceded. “I confess this is why I allow Devi to portray herself as the Rebellion’s leader: It’s easier for me to engage in more covert activities when no one knows my face.” Her eyes flickered over her shoulder, and then straight ahead once more. “I don’t suppose those policemen staring at us are with you?”  
  
Lafayette glanced carefully, subtly over his shoulder, and saw the policemen she’d mentioned- and they were staring right at them. _Hell_ , he thought. Isabeau had told the Order, and the Order had notified the authorities to be on the lookout for any Indian women behaving suspiciously; perhaps Lakshmi’s ruse, standing out to deflect attention, had backfired.  
  
“Madame, I am certain you have a stellar back-story to give these fine gentlemen if asked,” Lafayette whispered, heart sinking when he glanced over his shoulder again and saw that the officers were approaching them, “but might you permit me to cover for us today?”  
  
“If you like, Marquis.”  
  
Lafayette didn’t turn until he heard the stern voice of one of the policeman over his shoulder, “Ma’am, a moment, if you will?”  
  
When he turned around, the Marquis had affected the most innocent expression that he could. “Gentlemen! How lovely to see you here.”  
  
The officers looked surprised, and their postures straightened slightly out of habit. “Sir Perceval, we, uh-” They looked between Lafayette and Lakshmi, likely trying to figure out if the Knight had been conducting his own investigation.  
  
“Oh, I was just having a moment with this lovely lady-friend of mine,” Lafayette said sleekly, smiling sweetly and doing his best to put the implication into his face and words without it looking intentional. Fortunately, it wasn’t just Isabeau and Grayson who knew him as a chronic flirt.  
  
“Friend?” One of the officers inquired.  
  
“Yes, my _friend_ ,” Lafayette said pointedly, raising his eyebrows and lightly motioning with his head for them to move off.  
  
It took them a moment for them to connect the dots. “Friend- your _friend._ I see. Williamson, let’s- we can patrol over there.” The policemen moved on, a little pink in the cheeks and probably mumbling about how Sir Perceval couldn’t keep it in his pants- which was exactly what Lafayette had been going for. He turned back to Lakshmi and let out a low sigh of relief. “That ended better than I thought it would.”  
  
“You played to character, Marquis,” Lakshmi chuckled. “Grayson’s told me of your… _Appreciation_ for female company.”  
  
Lafayette grinned, folding his arms behind his back. “Yes, I am nothing if not weak for women; call it a never-ending loneliness for my wife, who unfortunately was not immortal.” The grin melted away, and Lakshmi looked up at him with her own sober expression.  
  
“I’m sorry to hear that.”  
  
“Immortality is not as fine as everyone believes it to be.”  
  
“That, I think, we can agree upon.”  
  
[---]  
  
They ended up with their arms looped to discourage questions, walking through the streets of Lambeth as the sun peeked through the clouds overhead.  
  
“So, what brought you down to Lambeth today?”  
  
“Nothing of any particular importance,” Lakshmi said. “Merely trying to get a feel for the presence of the police and the Order in the city.” She smirked, looking him up and down. “I think I’ve gotten a pretty good grasp of it.”  
  
Lafayette chuckled, squeezing her arm. “I won’t ask you to tell me of your Rebel activities, but I am curious: Anything I should know about? Anything about the Order that I haven’t been appraised of yet?”  
  
Lakshmi hummed, thinking, and then shook her head. “Not that I’m aware of; you’d have to ask Grayson.”  
  
“And how is he?”  
  
“Oh, well enough. The burns have healed for the most part, but he’s developed a few small scars from it.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Your Isabeau is quite the vengeful woman.”  
  
Lafayette winced. “Yes, she is. She thinks- Well, she thinks Grayson killed her brother.”  
  
“Alastair, yes, I recall.”  
  
He chewed his lip for a moment, and then decided that Lakshmi was discreet enough to keep this to herself. “You did not hear this from me,” He said delicately, “But it is known amongst many members of our Order that Isabeau was very… _Fond_ of Grayson.” He gave Lakshmi a pointed look.  
  
Her eyes widened a little. “I suppose that isn’t as surprising as it could have been. Setting an old friend on fire speaks of a certain sort of scorned passion.”  
  
Lafayette nodded wearily. “She doesn’t speak of him now. When she is forced to, she almost never uses his name. If there was any love there before, I fear it’s been extinguished- but don’t tell Grayson, _si vous plait._ It’s a raw subject for him.”  
  
“Did he reciprocate?”  
  
“I don’t _believe_ so, but then, Grayson was always quite good at restraining his thoughts and feelings.” He slipped her a sly smile. “I, on the other hand, am an open book, Madame.”  
  
Lakshmi’s smile was amused. “Yes, this much I’d figured. And what about the Order, Sir Perceval? Is the Order up to any particular business that I should be appraised of?”  
  
“Nothing that you can’t observe for yourself, I’m afraid,” Lafayette sighed. “We’re still on high-alert for you and your Rebels- the Half-breeds, less so. They’ve not been too active in the last few months. At least, not that we’ve seen.” He paused. “And apart from the incident in Mayfair, you have been awfully quiet.”  
  
Lakshmi hummed noncommittally.  
  
Lafayette smiled. He knew well enough how to keep a secret, and could appreciate that she had her own to keep.  
  
Occasionally, they passed the odd police officer- he hadn’t been joking when he’d suggested that the authorities’ primary concern for the moment was hunting down the Rebels- and Lafayette simply nodded and smiled charmingly at them. Some merely raised an eyebrow at him, and others stared wide-eyed at Lakshmi, who would bat her eyes sweetly at them. But there had been no incidents so far, no policemen who were interested in interrupting Sir Perceval and his latest paramour on their stroll.  
  
They were nearing the edge of the district where Lambeth met Southwark when they encountered a problem.  
  
Loud, irritated voices rose over the typical sounds of the street, and both their heads perked up in alarm when they rounded a corner and saw the source of it: Three policemen lining the street, standing defensively as a man with a cart argued loudly with-  
  
“Oh no,” Lafayette whispered.  
  
“This wouldn’t be nearly as difficult if you would just _cooperate,_ ” Elaine snapped as a fourth police officer went through the cart, pulling out food and clothing with little care for whether or not they were damaged.  
  
“I’m just trying to leave this bloody city, because apparently _you_ lot can’t keep it safe!” The man snarled back, leaning down and hastily scooping up everything that had been thrown from the cart. Elaine went to respond to him, but did a quick double-take when she saw the Marquis and Lakshmi standing some yards away.  
  
_Damn._  
  
“The police won’t question me about you,” Lafayette muttered, tightening his grip on Lakshmi’s arm nervously, “But other Knights will.”  
  
“I suspected as much. We should find another-”  
  
“No,” He said quickly, but lightly, trying to make sure he didn’t look nervous or tense as he spoke. “She’ll wonder why we’re avoiding her. She might follow us, especially you; better we dispel any suspicions she has now, if we can.”  
  
Lakshmi was going a fine job of schooling her expression into something calm, but her eyes were sharp and tense as she regarded Elaine, who was now focused on them, shooing the irate man along and motioning for the police to step off. “I am not certain we’ll manage that, Sir Knight.”  
  
“Nor am I, but we’ll have to try if we don’t want this to become bigger than we need it to be, Elaine!” Lafayette’s voice reached room-level volume as they stepped towards Lady Elaine, whose eyes darted between them suspiciously. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”  
  
“You knew I was patrolling Southwark,” She remarked flatly.  
  
Lafayette held back a wince. “Yes, but you’re in Lambeth now,” he chuckled.  
  
“Yes, where _you’re_ supposed to be patrolling.”  
  
“Come on, Elaine,” Lafayette whispered, trying to keep his voice easy and unserious and fun-loving, more the way he’d been when the original Perceval was alive than what he had become since his death. “Don’t embarrass me.”  
  
Elaine’s eyes flickered to Lakshmi and stayed there. Lakshmi, for her part, wasn’t playing the innocuous flirty role she’d played with the officers before; now she was calm, quiet, dignified. Lafayette would have rather she played the part of a giggling fool; Elaine would have underestimated her more readily. “And who’s _this?_ ”  
  
“Harini,” Lakshmi said softly, thickening her accent again as she looked Elaine up and down. “And you, Madam?”  
__  
Oh, clever, **clever** , Lafayette thought, fighting to keep a straight face. Lakshmi was acting like a woman faced with a potential rival to her romantic affections- she wanted Elaine to think that _Lakshmi_ thought she was a female partner of Lafayette’s, someone to be regarded as a competitor. She was playing herself as the jealous paramour who did not like her lover being around other women. It was a clever play, clever indeed, and he was delighted at her ability to think on her toes.  
  
Elaine’s face was stone. “Lady Elaine, of Her Majesty's Royal Knights.” Her eyes jumped back to Lafayette. “She’s a _friend_ of yours, Perceval?” There was an obvious derision in her voice as she said it, and the Marquis could not quite tell if the derision was for his habits, or because she had caught onto the lie.  
  
So he gave a small, awkward shrug, accompanied by an expression he hoped would be read as ‘ _What did you think she was?_ ’  
  
Elaine fixed Lakshmi with one last, long stare, and then sniffed. “You should be in Lambeth.”  
  
“I _am_ in Lambeth.”  
  
“ _Patrolling_ , Perceval. Not cavorting.”  
  
“I was merely escorting her home.”  
  
Elaine shook her head. “Then do it quickly, Marquis, or you’ll be hearing from me later.” And with that, she turned her back on them and walked back to the police officers. Lafayette and Lakshmi waited a beat, and then calmly, carefully walked away as though nothing had happened.  
  
Once they were a good distance away, they both let out a sigh of relief.  
  
“I will hear about this later,” Lafayette sighed. “If not from Elaine herself, then from the Chancellor. And probably from Isabeau.”  
  
Lakshmi clicked her tongue at him. “So many women you work with, I could get jealous.” The grin she gave him was fox-like in its mischief, and Lafayette nearly _swooned_ at the sight of it. Goodness, she just got better and better the more he got to know her.  
  
“Would you like me to walk you home, _Madame_?”  
  
“Shouldn’t you be patrolling Lambeth, Marquis? You could get in trouble.”  
  
“Perhaps,” Lafayette said, squeezing her arm a little more easily this time, “But quite worth it, as far as I’m concerned.”  
  
“Then lead the way, Sir Knight.”  
   
-End


End file.
